Thermostatically controlled valves



Jan. 26, 1965 A. MOOSMAYER ETAL 3,167,249

THERMOSTATICALLY CONTRQLLED VALVES Filed March 14, 1963 Fig. 1 Fig.2 3f 1d 1c 3e 2 l i a .711 ven fans abutment lifts the valve member.

tions, the three parts: valve seat ring, upper bowed and United States Patent ()fiice 3,167,249 Patented Jan.- 26, '1 965 2 Claims. (51. 236-34) The invention relates to a thermostatically controlled valve such as is used more particularly for temperature regulation of the cooling fluid in motor vehicle engines. In such thermostatic valves, generally a valve member constructed as a disc is pressed by spring pressure against a seat ring, the closing spring bearing at one end on the valve disc and at the other end on a bowed member connected to the valve seat ring, the said member comprising centrally an opening for guiding the valve member. Situated at the side of the seat ring opposite from the spring abutment is a stationary abutment, which is generally connected by a bridge to the seat ring, for the plunger of a thermostatic element combined with the valve disc.

On heating, an expansible material within the thermostatic element effects forcible axial relative displacement of the projecting plunger which by the pressure on its In known construclower bowed member, are punched individually from sheet metal, for example brass sheet 1 mm. in thickness.

-At assembly with the other parts of the valve, they are assembled together under spring pressure, and prongs have to be inserted in housing holes. Furthermore, the parts which are kept under preload must be introduced into a rivetting device in order that the prongs can be riveted. Generally these rivetted connections are also soldered, since the motor car industry has prescribed in many cases that rivetted points at the connection of the lower and upper bowed members to the valve seat ring must be additionally soldered, since the forces occurring at the connection points are very considerable in relation to the small rivet heads. A brass plate of 1 mm. in thickness permits of the formation of only a relatively inadequate fastening head.

The object of the invention is to substantially cheapen the hitherto expensive production of the frame, to simplify the assembly of all the individual parts of the entire valve, and to accelerate assembly and increase working reliability.

According to the invention, there is provided a thermostatically controlled valve in which a disc like member is displaced away from a cooperating seat ring by a plunger which is forcibly extended from a thermostatic element carried on the disc like member above a predetermined temperature, and in which the disc like member is urged against the seat ring by a resilient means mounted on a support, the seat ring being integral with a frame on one side of the ring for providing an abutment for the plunger and with a support for the resilient means on the other side. The support which is made in one piece with the valve seat ring and the bridge forming the plunger abutment, and which is provided for the closing spring, can be in the form of a bridge with a circular guide opening which is concentric with the valve axis and is recessed to the opening width at one side transversely to the length of the bridge, the remaining part of the opening periphery hooks is an annular. disc which forms the spring abutment and whose aperture rim is raised for centering the closing spring, the hooks engaging in slot-like holeson the edge of the disc.

The combination of the three parts of the frame to form a single element reduces the original cost of the frame to one-third at once. The parts hithereto stamped from brass sheet can be made as an aluminium pressure casting. The tool costs for the pressure casting mould amount to only a seventh of the tool costs for the punched parts. Tests have also shown that solder, as used in the past, is dissolved in a short time by cooling water mixed with anti-freeze substances.

Assembly of the valve is now considerably simpler. The frame, which in the old constructional form could only be connected after the insertion of the thermostatic valve element and closing spring, is prefabricated in one piece according to the present invention, and the invention permits of the subsequent insertion of the element which is introduced with the push pin of the thermostatic element leading first of all in inclined fashion through the opening of the valve seat ring, and then rectilinearly, whilst the closing spring, with its abutment disc in the case of the second embodiment, is pressed against the valve disc by means of pliers.

Thus, three advantages can be obtained:

(1) Dramatic reduction in the cost of the frame.

(2) Frame constructed so as to be reliable in operation, due to the avoidanceof soldering.

(3) Simplified assembly. v

Two forms of embodiment of the invention are illustrated in FIGURES l to 5 of'the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view, partly section, of a thermostatic valve; 1 Y I FIGURE 2 is a side view of the valve of FIGURE 1 partly in section;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view in section through a bridge forming a spring support;

FIGURE 4 is a view, partly in section, of another form of a thermostatic valve;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view on to an abutment disc, in section through the struts forming a spring support.

The thermostatic element of the thermostatic valve includes an integral disc like member 1a.

This member is adjoined at one side by an expansible material container 1b and at the other side by a valve stem 10. The hollow valve stem surrounds a forcibly axially displaceable plunger 1d which projects from the valve stem. A resilient means in the form of a cylindrical coil-type compression spring 2 which surrounds the expansible material container 1b concentrically, presses the valve member 1a to seat against a valve seat 3a in the form of an annular disc to seal it. The closing spring 2 bears at one end, against the valve member and is located there against by a boss on its member; at the other end it bears against a bridge 3b which forms the spring support and adjoins the valve seat ring on the lower side thereof. The bridge 3b has a circular opening concentric with the valve axis for guiding the cylindrical expansible container 117, the raised rim 30 forming at the same time centering means for the closing spring. One side of the bridge 3b is cut away to define with the opening a U-shaped slot having the width of the diameter of the opening. At the non-cut away side, the bridge has an edge bead 3d for stiffening purposes, the bead being preferably directed upwardly like the rim of the opening, so that it co-operates in centering the closing spring.

Above, the valve seat ring 3a is adjoined by a frame in the form of a bridge 30 which at its underside comprises a recess 3 situated concentrially to the valve axis and serving as an abutment for the push pin 1d.

The two bridges 3b and 3e are so arranged at the valve seat ring with which they inwardly directed hook 3h, "said hook engaging gin each I v the valve disc 1a. Othe'rwise,- assembly a from its. seat. 3a

are integral, that the outer region of the annular disc 3:; projects slightly as a mount ing flange for the entire thermostatic va1ve.- 7 When assembling the valve, first of all the closing spring is fitted over theexpansible materialcontaineri Pliers-with o U shap'ed jaws are then'u sed to "compressthe spring," one 7 jaw engaging :below: the closing rsprin g 'whilst thelothei' jaw bears on top of the valve discf'The valve element with the compressed closing springfis therr introduced 7 with the plunger leadiii giobliquely from belowthroug'hthe valve opening and is brought into the correct coneentr'ie v I position.= Afterthe-removal of-the-p1i rs, thevai 'dise;

bears against its seat and-th'lower fend o f' -the spring against'the bridge 3b. 3

The support in another embodimenti no lon er made continuous fr'o'rnione st-r ut to the other-Le; no longer con-f stitutes a bridge, On the contrary, the spring abutment-is formed by a-waslir 4 whichisnhooked into the support i.e. struts: 3gwh-ieh a c'ljoirithe" underside of the 'valve seat-ring 3a and are integral therewith. The spring and-2 the washer together form the resilient means. In fact, the struts 3g eachv terminatefat' their lower end: -in-an case in a slot-like hole on theed'ge of-thewashenfi. fl "he washer 4 'has at its'ceht'ral opening araised rim for the guiding of the valve elementatits lower portion, forming.

'the' expansible-material container Theraisedrirn' serves at the same't-ime for centering the'closir'ig'spring 2.x During assembly, thetpliersiengages' below -theyc'losing spring 2 including the washer 4 and pres'seshoth against 330 a, is arrie Out as I described in thefirst embodiment;

When heating occurs} the 'egipansible -niate'r ial 1within' f the thermostatic element causes longitudinal displacement, I of the plunger ldwhich; howfeyer encounters resistance inthe recess 3 of thenpperybridgefie; .V'Consequently, the v valve member 1a connected to the'valve stern lifts away-Q I pressed.

' ewwwq whilst the closing spring is further -coma;

V Upon cooling, the expansible material contracts'and enables the push pin to withdraw under the indirect pressure of the cl0singspring;.'in this waythe valve closesag'ain,

The" frame-like-part can be niade in one piece from metal or a synthetic plastic material.

We claim: g .lifA -thermostatically controlled 'valve comprising a thermostatic element having a disc-like valve member and a plunger whereby thes'disc-lilge valve; member is forcibly moved laway fro'm said plunger at a predetermined temperature, ahousing enclosing. said element, said housing a fha ving a ring-like'valve seat for closure by said disc-like valyemember; a'frame on one side of said seat against 'which said' plunger bears to displace "said valve member from said seat at'saidpre de-term-ined temperature, said frame bridging said seatand'having a recess fo'r receiving I said plunger, and bridge-like support means on'the other side-f saidvalve seat; said support meansdefining a U-shape'd slot into which a lower end of, said thermostatic element 'can'rbe slid,. said valve, seat, frame and support 7 means being integrally" formed with one anotheras parts a of said housing; and a'c'ompression spring reinovably a mounted on'said support means and'bea rin'ga't one end-on saidsupport means' and at its other end bearing on'said idisc-likeivalve member efor urgingssaid disc-likewalve member against said seat. g 1

2.:A thermostatically controlled valve according to claim 1 wherein said ring-like valve seat includes an outer flange 'for mountingthe thermostatically controlled valve :1 on a support '1 7 References Cite d'by the ex miner UNITED STATES PATENTST E WAR MICHAEL, r m r Examiner V 

1. A THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED VALVE COMPRISING A THERMOSTATIC ELEMENT HAVING A DISC-LIKE VALVE MEMBER AND A PLUNGER WHEREBY THE DISC-LIKE VALVE MEMBER IS FORCIBLY MOVED AWAY FROM SAID PLUNGER AT A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE, A HOUSING ENCLOSING SAID ELEMENT, SAID HOUSING HAVING A RING-LIKE VALVE SEAT FOR CLOSURE BY SAID DISC-LIKE VALVE MEMBER, A FRAME ON ONE SIDE OF SAID SEAT AGAINST WHICH SAID PLUNGER BEARS TO DISPLACE SAID VALVE MEMBER FROM SAID SEAT AT SAID PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE, SAID FRAME BRIDGING SAID SEAT AND HAVING A RECESS FOR RECEIVING SAID PLUNGER, AND BRIDGE-LIKE SUPPORT MEANS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID VALVE SEAT, SAID SUPPORT MEANS DEFINING A U-SHAPED SLOT INTO WHICH A LOWER END OF SAID THERMOSTATIC ELEMENT CAN BE SLID, SAID VALVE SEAT, FRAME AND SUPPORT MEANS BEING INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH ONE ANOTHER AS PARTS OF SAID HOUSING; AND A COMPRESSION SPRING REMOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND BEARING AT ONE END ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND AT ITS OTHER END BEARING ON SAID DISC-LIKE VALVE MEMBER FOR URGING SAID DISC-LIKE VALVE MEMBER AGAINST SAID SEAT. 